West Michigan Springtime Maintenance Tips for Home Siding

Any responsible homeowner knows that after a long Michigan winter, the exterior of your home may need a little upkeep. At Irish Roofing, we appreciate the value of home maintenance and protecting your investment. One of the most significant parts of your home’s exterior, which is occasionally overlooked, is its siding. Home-siding comes in all types of materials, shapes, and colors—each needing its own special maintenance.

The most common categories of sidings found in the West Michigan area are Vinyl, Wood, and Fiber Cement Siding. Of course, there are different grades, types, designs, and other variations between each one, but the maintenance required within each category is usually the same. Maintaining your siding may be at the bottom of your springtime checklist, behind finishing the landscaping and tuning up the mower, but you will want to be sure to make it a priority. Your siding is essential for protecting your home from the outside elements, keeping pests out, maintaining the essential elements of your home (structure, electrical, pipes), and of course, keeping your curb appeal strong. So, let’s get outside and get to work!

Siding Care Tips & Tricks

Below we have some tips and tricks to help you maintain your siding based on the type of siding you have. Keep in mind, some tactics might seem the same, but different materials will require different kinds of products, tools, and tactics.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is a crowd favorite for the greater Grand Rapids and West Michigan area. Its extended durability, low-maintenance, long lifetime and general affordability make it an excellent buy for homeowners. Here are a few tips to make sure your vinyl siding is well preserved this spring:

Yearly Wash

1.) Clean with a cloth or soft brush.

2.) Use an approved cleaning product, either found at your local hardware store or make a homebrew.

3.) Do you best to avoid streaking.

You can use a pressure washer to rinse but do so carefully with the spray nozzle at least 3 ft. from the siding.

Inspect

1.) Search for cracks, broken seals or warping.

2.)Pests and Nests: keep an eye out for insects or birds as they like to make their home behind the siding. If insects make their way behind your vinyl, they will eventually move into your home and can cause interior damage.

Repair

If you happen to find any damage, you’ll want to be sure and repair it. Vinyl is highly durable and long-lasting, but it can still be damaged by debris or harsh impacts from the elements. Any openings can be a gateway for water, unwanted airflow, pests, and more. Small repairs can be done with material found at your local hardware stores like siding caulk, patching, and repair kits. If you see a significant amount of damage, you’ll want to consult with a professional for repairs or replacements.

Wood Siding

Wood Siding is one of the most aesthetically pleasing, yet costly sidings you can have—but most would argue that its beauty is worth the price. Whether your siding is Hardie Plank, hardboard siding, or wood shingles you will want to conduct some springtime maintenance.

Clean it up

1.) Divide your siding into 20-foot sections for the most effective cleaning process.

2.) Use soapy water or commercial cleaning products with a soft-bristled brush.

3.) We DO NOT recommend heavy use of water or pressure washing.

Pay particular attention to stains and knots.

Restore, Paint, or Replace

You’ll want to be sure and protect your wood from moisture, so, depending on the style of your siding, you’ll want to put on a fresh coat of sealant or paint. This does not necessarily need to be done on a yearly basis, but the frequency will depend on the products and material used. Consult with your local hardware store or Irish Roofing if you are not sure.

If you do come across any damage or warping, you will want to replace that section. Moisture damage is like kryptonite to wood material, and even though most modern sidings are water resistant—you won’t want to take a chance.

Protect

Wood siding is durable, but you do not want to take an unnecessary risk when it comes to its protection. Be sure to clean your gutters and ensure your roof’s water runoffs are working correctly and efficiently. Remove any branches or brush that rub or hit the siding, as that can cause damage over time.

Fiber Cement

Fiber Cement siding is on the higher-end of home sidings, but it is well worth the investment. Fiber cement is low maintenance and provides an aesthetic quality that rivals the natural beauty of wood. With never-ending colors, designs, textures, and a 40 to 50-year lifespan, fiber cement siding is a popular option for new builds and renovations. If your home-siding is fiber cement, you will want to do a little spring upkeeping.

Inspect

Before you do anything, make sure your seals and caulking are all intact around your house. Remeber, pay particular attention to your seals that connect to your roof, window frames, and foundation.

Keep it Clean

With the high durability of fiber cement, cleaning is generally for curb-appeal and aesthetic purposes. Keep in mind, you’ll want to keep an eye out for mold, moss, or color displacement. However, that is not very likely to be a problem with fiber cement. You can use a pressure washer (at 3 to 4 feet) to get dirt and dust off. If you do notice any tough to clean spots, water and dish soap should do the trick.

Paint

Unlike vinyl, fiber cement siding can be painted. The paint job will last exceptionally longer than on wood siding, but eventually, it must be redone. Start with inspecting the siding, making sure the paint is holding its value. Look for chipping and cracking and, if you see a pattern of that, it’s time to paint. When it comes to selecting paint, check with the manufacturer to see how often paint should be applied. Most will last 5 to 15 years.

Protect your investment

Here we’ve talked about two key investments. One is your siding, and the other is your home. Both need tender love and care, while one is essential for protecting the other. If you are finding that, even though you are properly maintaining your siding, it’s not efficiently protecting your home—it’s time to consider professional repair or replacement. Contact Irish Roofing today, and we are happy to give you a free consultation!

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CONTACT

Alex D.

Field Supervisor

Alex is a great addition to the team because he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty and get the job done. His vast experience in construction work makes him perfectly fit to be our field supervisor. When he’s not out in the field he loves to hangout with his friends and family, but if he had to choose a special dinner guest he’d pass up on celebrities and instead pick someone inspirational like Nikola Tesla.

Baily M.

Marketing Specialist

Everybody say ‘Hi’ to one of our newest team members, Baily. This lively lady is one of our marketing specialists and she’s great at it thanks to her confident and competitive personality. She learned her ‘girl power’ attitude from the one celebrity that she’d love to meet, Beyonce. But she also fuels her competitive edge with her favorite breakfast meal of french toast and bacon.

Erin R.

Marketing Specialist

This youngin is still in school, but that doesn’t stop her from bringing her A-Game! Erin is one of our marketing specialists and she loves the feeling of putting roofs over our customers’ heads. Her energy carries through to another one of her passions… swimming. Erin is a pro at the 100m backstroke which is thanks in part to her pre-swim Chicago Beef Sandwiches. If you see her after hours, she’s probably going to be walking her Shitzu, Micki.

Casey S.

Marketing Specialist

Meet Casey, an employee that we brought on not only for his supreme marketing skills, but also because he helps bring the average age of the office down! A recent Ferris State University grad, Casey is all about juggling any new tasks thrown at him, but also any other object. No seriously, he’s a juggling pro. After the 8-5, Casey likes to shoot some hoops or get to crafting something new out of old wooden pallets, but he’s always happy to come back to work because he thinks Larry and Ju are the best bosses he’s ever had (Slides a crisp $20).

Sal S.

Marketing Specialist

Say hi to Sal, one of our marketing specialists and Larry’s son! Not only is he great at his job, but this college kid is also a star athlete. On top of playing football for Walsh University, he also can spin a basketball on his finger as long as a Harlem Globetrotter could. When he is not winning games or setting sales, Sal likes spending time with his friends and family.

Abbie S.

Communications Specialist

As good as our ground crew is, we wanted to hire a fresh face to help us manage our online affairs. Our communications specialist, Abbie, fills that role perfectly because not only is she the one putting the pen to the paper to write our company’s blog, but she also leads our community events and involvement. She comes to us as a recent graduate from Saint Mary’s College but she’s about more than just the books. In her free time, you might catch Abbie doing yoga, baking, crafting, or telling her brother-in-law, Ju, about all the latest hipster trends. If you swing by the office, you’ll know where she sits because you’ll hear her blasting Britney Spears.

Cassie S.

Customer Service Specialist

Cassie is her name and customer service is her game. Cassie’s bubbly and compassionate personality makes her the perfect person to help out our customers with anything they need. She would LOVE to meet Will Smith, but she’s a little busy because after work she’s taking care of her and Larry’s five kids, and their dog, Rocco! Cassie doesn’t mind though… all is well as long as she can enjoy a yummy pasta dish at the end of the night.

Meghan K.

Sales Coordinator

We’re not quite sure how Meghan says “Thanks for calling Irish Roofing and Exteriors, this is Meghan” 243 times a day with so much pep and enthusiasm, but we suspect that the 4 gallons of coffee she drinks a day might be the source. Meghan is not only responsible for our top notch customer service, but she also keeps us organized and on track. Would it surprise you to know that our resident communication queen is also fluent in sign language? Well, she is.

Mikalin S.

Production Coordinator

Check out our awesome production coordinator, Mikalin! This goal-driven gal is prepared for ANY challenge thrown her way thanks to her awesome organizational skills. Even though she says she doesn’t have any hidden talents we know that’s not true because she’s a mom and that’s a talent in itself. When she’s not at work she loves to go on walks with her daughter and her dog!

Alejo S.

Meet the man who makes sure all of our major projects are in check! Never missing a beat, Alejo is able to build any project handed to him from the ground up. Specializing in our commercial projects, we trust Alejo to oversee and maintain a standard of perfection for every job he touches. In his free time, you can find Alejo either spending time with his family, or shooting hoops on the basketball court. Though he keeps busy at Irish, he would eventually like to retire to a ranch, because he loves animals just as much as he loves roofing.

Rick S.

Field Supervisor

Now introducing our go-to guy, Rick! Rick comes to Irish with a wealth of experience in building and home improvement, as well as a vast knowledge of project management and supervision from his former career managing a multi-complex residential space. Rick is lucky enough to work side by side with his daughter, Mikalin, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. A true family man, Rick not only makes sure that our work is ship-shape, but he really loves spending time with his kids and granddaughter.

Dave S.

Project Coordinator

Before starting work at Irish as one of our project coordinators, Dave worked at another building company where he developed his awesome work skills. He came to us after falling for the staff and the atmosphere (but also to give his brother Larry a hard time). When he’s not diligently working on a project, Dave loves to spend time with his daughters, Bria and Nora. That all seems pretty normal until you find out that he likes cats more than dogs (Weird, right?).

Ben L.

Project Coordinator

Do you happen to have a dictionary on hand? Great! Flip to the page where it says ‘people person’ and you’ll find Ben’s face. As a project coordinator, he deals with customers 24/7 and he loves every minute of it. Before bringing his project coordinator skills to Irish, Ben spent over a decade honing his talents as the owner and operator of a local landscape company. Thankfully, he found his way to the Irish family. In his spare time, you might find him hitting the fairway or at the gym lifting weights, but no matter what he’s sure to come home to a nice steak dinner. Specifically a ribeye. Medium-rare.

Mike B.

Project Coordinator

Without a doubt, being a project coordinator is Michael’s forte. We’re pumped that we were able to snag him away from the medical field because he’s an integral part of our team. Even though he now helps people fix up their homes, he used to make people smile with his awesome dance moves. When he’s not at work or busting a move, his hobbies include golfing, spending time with his family, and catching a break at his family cottage up north.

Jason E.

Project Coordinator

With a knack for time management and staying disciplined, Jason knows how to get a job done and works hard to do it. Jason came to Irish with a glowing resume; previously, he was the Operations Manager of a reputable and local waste management company. As prestigious as this guy is, he prefers to be known for loving football, and for being a Justin Bieber superfan. When he’s not out there crushing it for our clients, he’s definitely watching football, with his family, grilling, and spending time outside.